Firelord Azulon and the Waterbender
by WaywardThoughts
Summary: A waterbender, driven by revenge, attacks the Fire Nation princes, Iroh and Ozai. Azulon doesn't take kindly to that, but the waterbender forces him to realise, that in the end, his sons may be his undoing.


**We didn't see much of Azulon, but he appeared very heartless. Ordering Ozai to kill his own son? Seems a bit cruel. I would like to think that something happened that caused this emotional desolation. So I made this up. Please enjoy. **

The full moon was high in the sky, its light piercing through the sky, casting its glow over the palace inside the volcano. Princes Iroh and Ozai were sparring with each other in the courtyard, under the watchful eyes of the palace guards. Both of the princes were almost adults, but Firelord Azulon took no such chances. Being raised in the palace had given the teens a false sense of security. In the Firelord's palace, they believed themselves to be truly untouchable. Neither the guards nor the princes noticed the waterbender creeping closer and closer to the energetic firebenders.

Releasing the cap on his waterskin, the woman paused for a moment to observe his surroundings for the means of escape. A lot was riding on this mission and the waterbender didn't want to make any mistakes. Taking a deep breath, she began to emerge from the bushes in which she hid. But she faltered. The princes were both young, it would be like killing children. Pushing such thoughts aside, she quickly planned his attack. The courtyard was surrounded by water, in the case of a firebending accident. From what she had observed, Iroh and Ozai were incredibly competent firebenders, after all, they were the Firelord's sons.

But the full moon was high, enriching her with its energy. She turned to the sky and uttered a quick prayer to Tui in thanks for her strength. Leaping from the bushes, she swiftly created a water whip that swung towards Ozai and wrapped around his ankle, pulling him to the ground with a cry. Startled, Iroh jumped backwards and saw her. Saw the water surrounding her like a vortex and the full moon in the sky. In that one look, Iroh knew that he could not win. Ozai, however, had no such qualms. Roaring in rage, he threw numerous fire blasts that were effortlessly absorbed by the water.

The waterbender reached out and a huge wave washed over both princes, soaking them. With a gesture, the water froze and trapped the princes, leaving them as immobile as if they were chi-blocked. The palace guards, alerted by Ozai's yells, came rushing forwards, only to be pushed back by a giant wave. The guards watched in horror as the waterbender created a water blade and held it under Prince Ozai's throat. Before she struck, the waterbender gazed into the prince's eyes, she saw nothing but fear and hatred. She sliced her hands outwards and the blade soared towards the young prince's throat. A second before it struck, the blade lost its momentum and Ozai was splashed in the face.

The waterbender was suddenly overcome by a huge torrent of visions, visions that had cursed her life since she was very young. The visions showed a boy with arrow tattoos and a boy with a scar on his left eye. _The Avatar and the Fire Lord, _whispered Tui._ The future leaders of the world. _The woman fell to her knees under the onslaught. She was briefly aware of the guards tackling her and the wrapping her arms in chains.

She remembered being pulled into the palace, stumbling as she went. They shoved her in a dark room, illuminated by the roaring wall of flames that separated her from Firelord Azulon. The man was middle-aged, but there was grey in his beard. But his eyes were still full of the enormous anger he was rumoured to possess in his youth. They stared at each other, the waterbender and the firebender, blue eyes clashing with gold. Azulon descended from his dais and stood in front of the captured Water Tribeswoman, who was forced onto her knees by the guards.

"Why are you here?", came the cold, high voice. The waterbender responded by turning to the side and spitting on the floor. A slap came which made her see stars, but it was not from the guards as she expected, but rather, it came from the Firelord himself. Azulon looked at his hand with disgust, as if he has caught some disease just by hitting the waterbender. Wiping his hands on his robes, Azulon said, "Leave us alone."

The guards hesitated, but the look the Firelord gave them sent them scurrying like pigeon rats. "I'll ask again. Why are you here?"

This time the waterbender decided to reply. "To kill your sons. What else?"

"Yet you failed. My sons live and you have lost."

The waterbender did not reply, but merely turned her head to the side in an attempt at defiance. Azulon stared at him for a moment before saying, "You will die for what you tried to do. I'll have you taken to the Boiling Rock and have you tortured until you beg for death."

"I do not fear you or death."

"You are brave, but foolish, young waterbender. You will crack after three days."

"I have endured worse before."

"Somehow I doubt that."

"You shouldn't," was the curt reply from the waterbender. "I watched as your Navy came in and took away all our waterbenders. You threw us in prison and left them to rot. My brothers and sisters. You even took my husband and children.

The Firelord stood there in silence. He had lost his wife not too long ago, but it was to illness, not murder. The Tribeswoman spoke again, shaking him out of his thoughts. "But since when would you care? You've lived this sheltered life with your pretty wife and sons. You've never experienced pain."

"My wife, Ilah, is dead."

"Not like mine. My husband was slaughtered by the Southern Raiders. Right in front of my children and I. He fought to the death."

"Why didn't you save her?"

"Because I was protecting my children. Something that you wouldn't know about."

"About protecting my own? Do not insult me."

The waterbender snorted. "I would never leave my children alone, unlike you. Your sons may be adults, but that still didn't stop me from trussing them up a smidgeon on the tight side."

"They are capable."

"You just don't care. If someone attacked my children, I would have killed him myself."

"And what makes you think I won't kill you?"

"Because if you truly cared about them, you would have done it by now."

There was long and heavy silence as the two benders stared each other down again. This time, Azulon broke the gaze and readjusted his robes. The waterbender laughed scornfully at the display. Rage built and Azulon slapped the waterbender once again. The loud crack echoed throughout the throne room.

"I changed my mind," the Firelord spat. "I'm going to kill you myself. Right here, right now."

The Tribeswoman's eyes gleamed. "Do it."

The Firelord summoned lightning and shot it straight at the waterbender, who swiftly rolled out the way. Azulon was shocked to see the woman mobile, but he noticed the sliced through with water. The waterbender laughed, "I have my own tricks, old man."

In the Firelord's throne room, the two benders clashed. Despite being forty-five, Azulon was still incredibly fit and he matched the younger woman's agility. The fight only lasted a few minutes before Imperial firebenders stormed the room. The princes Iroh and Ozai also entered the room, fire in hands. At the sight of them, the waterbender grinned. "This time, I won't falter."

She lashed out with enormous water whips, cutting Iroh and Ozai down with ease. At the sight of his sons' blood, Azulon roared and sent a huge blast of fire at the waterbender peasant, who barely managed to dodge it in time. Lightning followed fire, but it was redirected into the ceiling, leaving a gaping hole, much like a wound. Moonlight poured in and the night air extinguished the wall of flames.

Exhausted by the effort it took to redirect the lightning, the waterbender fell to her knees once more. The enraged Firelord strode over and grabbed the woman by her hair, pulling her face up. He spoke but the waterbender did not hear, for the visions had resurfaced.

She saw the Avatar and the Firelord with the scar, whose face so resembled the one screaming at him. It wasn't until then, did the waterbender realise that the Firelord, the one who ended the war, was Azulon's grandson. She saw Azulon older than he was now, struggling with his back against the wall as a hidden person advanced with a dagger. She saw Ozai as the Firelord and the burning earth. She saw a girl remarkably like Ozai, her eyes wild and demented as she destroyed what stood in her path.

Jolted back into her senses, the waterbender knew she had to escape. She could not die here. She became aware of Azulon shouting, "You miscalculated. I love my sons, more than I fear you."

The waterbender's mouth twisted into an awful smile and replied, "No, you miscalculated. You should have feared me more."

Reaching out with bloodied hands, the waterbender grasped at the water inside the Firelord and lifted him to the air. The guards started forwards, but they took were immobilised. With a gesture, the guards' necks snapped and they fell like puppets with cut strings. Only the three members of the Royal Family were left alive, struggling in vain.

Still with that twisted smile, the waterbender whispered in Azulon's ear, "I should kill you right now. It would avenge my brothers and sisters. My husband and my children. But I won't."

Azulon choked and croaked out a single word, "Why?"

"Because I know how you will die. At the hands of one of your family. That is my revenge. Killed by those closest to you. It's a terrible thought, isn't it? Not being able to trust those closest to you."

"Who…is it?"

"I leave it to you to figure that out."

Throwing the Firelord against the wall, the waterbender strode towards the door, the two princes still in her grip. The guards surrendered as they saw Iroh and Ozai in terrible danger. The waterbender walked all the way to the port at the base of the volcano where she finally turned to her captives. Releasing them, the waterbender strode towards the ocean and stepped onto the water. She felt the princes' glares at his back. She turned and the twisted smile emerged.

"Remember, Iroh and Ozai, that your father loves you very much. But he loves his country more. You always knew that. But now there is another. Your father fears you very much, but he fears me more."

And with that, the waterbender sprinted across the waves. Back in the Fire Nation palace, for the first time in years, the Firelord wept. He wept for his dead wife, for his sons and for himself. The waterbender was right. He couldn't trust anyone anymore. And with that epiphany, the Firelord sealed his heart and never loved again.

**R&R please. No flames. Get it, flames? Ah, forget it.**


End file.
